Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in Florida, October 9 to 10, 2024

A cluster of small supercells in Florida City and Homestead produced a brief tornado that was able to attain EF-1 intensity with estimated maximum winds of 87 mph. While the tornado never produced a tornadic debris signature, it did have a couple instances of gate to gate rotation. The tornado had a non-continuous damage path length of 2.93 miles with a maximum width of 75 yards. Most of the damage was characterized by light fence, tree, or yard damage. The worst damage was in Florida City, where several trees were reported down. Damage amount is estimated.

This tornado was the first associated with a long track supercell that would go on to product a total of 4 tornadoes beginning in Miami-Dade County and through Collier, Hendry, and Glades counties. While a discernible tornado debris signature was not noted with the storm at this point in western Miami-Dade County, a strong gate to gate signature was present in the area where damage was found during a survey. The storm survey team found evidence indicating multiple snapped hardwood limbs and mangroves located a couple miles to the south-southwest of Fortymile Bend along Tamiami Trail in far western Miami-Dade County. The tornado was rated as an EF-0 with estimated an maximum winds near 80 mph. Time and path width are estimated based on radar evidence and damage found during the survey. Damage amount is estimated.

From the same storm that produced a brief tornado across US Highway 41 in far western Miami-Dade County, a new tornado was first spotted looking southwest from the Miccosukee Rest Area at Exit 41 along Interstate 75. Florida Department of Transportation traffic cameras and numerous public videos showed the progress of a large tornado across Interstate 75 just west of the Collier/Broward County line, moving north-northwestward over rural portions of eastern Collier County to the west of Snake Road. After traveling 9.51 miles, the tornado was spotted crossing the Hendry County line and entered the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation around 8:53 AM EST. There were no reports, nor storm survey findings, indicating damage caused by the tornado.

The tornado first spotted near Interstate 75 just west of the Collier/Broward County line traveled a total 13.52 miles through Collier and Hendry Counties. Florida Department of Transportation traffic cameras and numerous public videos showed the progress of a large tornado across Interstate 75 and north-northwestward over rural portions of eastern Collier County to the west of Snake Road. After traveling 9.51 miles, the tornado was spotted crossing the Hendry County line and entered the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation around 8:53 AM EST. It traveled north-northwestward for an additional 4.01 miles in Hendry County before dissipating. A storm chaser provided a video with debris aloft crossing Josie Billie Highway just east of Big Cypress Seminole Village. There were no reports, nor storm survey findings, indicating damage caused by the tornado.

A brief tornado was observed on traffic cameras and a via a storm chaser crossing Interstate 75/Alligator Alley in western Broward County. This tornado was also sighted from far western metro Broward County near US 27. There was no visible damage since the area where the tornado was on the ground was inaccessible and unpopulated. Maximum wind speed and EF rating are unknown with path width estimated from observations.

The supercell that produced tornadoes further south, near Interstate 75 and US Highway 41, spawned a new tornado which moved through rural portions of eastern Hendry County until it passed just west of the city of Clewiston. It moved across the area of the Sky Valley neighborhood west of Clewiston around 10:10 AM before crossing county boundaries and entering Glades County at 10:11 AM EST. A public video and photo reports from the area around the Clewiston Walmart show a large tornado with debris crossing Sugarland Highway/US 27 near Sky Valley. The tornado was rated as an EF-1 with an estimated maximum winds at 95 mph. There were trees damaged and downed powerlines across the area. Path width is estimated based on pictures and video.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across coastal Collier County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred on October 9th. The highest wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at Naples Municipal Airport on October 9th at 1:53 PM as a rainband of Hurricane Milton moved through the area. There was minor wind damage with general tree and power line damage observed across a good portion of the county. Multiple factors (tornadoes, wind, and storm surge flooding) lead to damages across coastal Collier County. Across Collier County as a whole, Hurricane Milton led to property damage estimated at $280 million with a total of 88 structures incurring major damage and 224 with minor damage. An estimated 85% of customers in the county lost power.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 40 mph range across inland Collier County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred on October 9th. The highest sustained wind of 40 mph was recorded in East Naples on October 9th at 413 PM, with a peak gust of 58 mph recorded at Immokalee Airport at 11:15 PM on October 9th.

at the same location at . There was minor wind damage with general tree and power line damage observed across a good portion of the county. Multiple factors (tornadoes, wind, and storm surge flooding) lead to damages across coastal Collier County. Across Collier County as a whole, Hurricane Milton led to property damage estimated at $280 million with a total of 88 structures incurring major damage and 224 with minor damage. An estimated 85% of customers in the county lost power.

After a tornado moved through Clewiston and rural portions of eastern Hendry County, it entered sugarcane fields in southeastern Glades County around 10:11 AM EST. It traveled another 3.84 miles before dissipating at 10:10:20 AM EST. The tornado was rated as an EF-1, with a total path length of 16.97 miles, and an estimated maximum winds at 95 mph. There were trees and crops damaged across its path in Glades County.

A tornado was produced as a storm took on super-cellular characteristics as it exited Collier County and moved into Hendry County. Although there were no eyewitness reports, a National Weather Service survey team was able to find scattered areas of utility pole damage. Coincident with one area of pole damage was a tornadic debris signature (TDS) as the tornado crossed State Route 80 at the Hendry/Glades County line around 10:55 AM EST. The TDS dissipated and the last damage was identified just south of Palmdale in Glades County. |The tornado was rated as an EF-1, after traveling a total 29.89 miles, with an estimated maximum winds around 110 mph.

A tornado was spawned from a supercell that produced a tornado earlier, near the Interstate 75 and US 27 intersection in central Broward County. A storm chaser witnessed the initial touchdown of this tornado at 1040 AM EST just south of US Highway 98 before briefly lifting and then remaining on the ground for at least ten minutes. The only damage indicator found with this tornado was on the eastern edge of Lake Okeechobee just as it was about to exit Palm Beach County. There was damage to a large hardwood tree used for the classification. The tornado was rated as an EF-0 with estimated an maximum winds near 74 mph. Time and path width are estimated based on radar velocity couplet and storm chaser report. Damage amount is estimated.

A tornado was spawned across the western portions of Lake Okeechobee, where it was captured by the Harney Pond WeatherSTEM camera between 10:35 AM EST and 10:44 AM EST. The tornado emerged over the Herbert Hoover Dike and entered the Miller Drive/Friendship Drive neighborhood where it damaged several manufactured homes and vegetation before crossing Florida State Road 78. The tornado advanced down Click Drive where it damaged several manufactured homes, rolled an outbuilding|off its foundation, and snapped a wooden utility pole at its base. The tornado proceeded into fields to the west of the Harney Pond Canal before entering the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation. Residents reported seeing the tornado to the west of the Harney Pond Canal from the embankment as it crossed several cattle pastures before entering the Red Barn area to the west of Brighton Seminole Village. Several mature hardwood trees were uprooted or suffered a loss of their crowns along Red Barn Road. It likely dissipated as it crossed the canal to the north around 10:59 AM EST. The tornado was rated as an EF-1, after traveling a total 6.28 miles, with an estimated maximum winds around 110 mph. Click Drive appeared to have some of the highest damage indicators attributable to building damage with this tornado damage survey. No official damage amount was available.

A tornado formed around 10:30 AM EST as a supercell traveled northward into extreme southeastern Hendry County. Although there were no eyewitness reports of a tornado, a National Weather Service survey team was able to find scattered areas of utility pole damage. Coincide with one area of pole damage was a tornadic debris signature (TDS) as the tornado crossed State Route 80 at the Hendry/Glades County line around 10:55 AM EST. After traveling 10.29 miles northwest across southern Glades County, the TDS dissipated and the last damage was identified just south of Palmdale in the form of broken tree branches. The tornado was rated as an EF-1, after traveling a total 29.89 miles, with an estimated maximum winds around 110 mph.

This is one of three brief tornadoes associated with a cluster of three supercells across the interior Hendry County in the early afternoon. The tornado was rated as an EF-0 with estimated an maximum winds near 65 mph. Time and path width are estimated based on radar velocity couplet. Damage amount is estimated.

This is one of three brief tornadoes associated with a cluster of three supercells across the interior Hendry County in the early afternoon. The tornado was rated as an EF-1 with estimated an maximum winds near 102 mph. Damage to a large utility pole was noted along Wilson Way, to the west of County Road 833 during the storm survey. Time and path width are estimated based on radar velocity couplet. Damage amount is estimated.

This is one of three brief tornadoes associated with a cluster of three supercells across the interior Hendry County in the early afternoon. The tornado was rated as an EF-1 with estimated an maximum winds near 107 mph, based on tree damage. Time and path width are estimated based on radar velocity couplet. Damage amount is estimated.

A severe tornado was initially observed in images captured over the western Lake|Okeechobee littoral shelf from the Harney Pond WeatherSTEM camera around 1:30 PM|EST in Glades County. The debris from the littoral shelf and associated vegetation was lofted in the air producing a tornadic debris signature detectable by the distant Miami|radar by 1:35 PM EST. The first observed property damage attributable to this tornado was in the Sarasota Colony neighborhood of Lakeport where the tornado demolished the second story dwellings of three well-built homes and then proceeded to cross Florida State Road 78 into the Fishermans Lane neighborhood where it destroyed the roofs and broke windows of 1920s-era Florida homes, lofted and tossed several manufactured homes and travel trailers, flipped a Ford Focus station wagon, and deposited debris over two blocks from their original location into the bottom of a retention pond behind the neighborhood. One manufactured home chassis was observed wrapped 15 to 20 feet above the ground around a hardwood tree located across the street from its original location with the contents of the home located in the pond almost 200 yards downstream. Damage from multiple vortices was observed at this location including one swath that reached EF-1 intensity to the east of the main EF-3 damage path. The tornado proceeded north-northwest to the east of the Harney Pond Canal into the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation. A tornadic debris signature was detectable on the Miami radar at 1:48 PM EST as the tornado entered the southern|limits of the reservation. As the tornado continued north-northwest, it damaged trees and pulled metal panels from roofing of assorted outbuildings from different|homesteads on the south side of the reservation. The tornado entered the Brighton Seminole Village causing tree and chickee hut roof damage in the Knotts Landing neighborhood before moving into the Sports Complex where it demolished the spectator and dugout areas of some of the baseball fields. The tornado likely lifted behind one of the baseball fields around 1:49 PM EST. The Miami radar continue to detect a tornadic debris signature through 1:50 PM EST as the storm moved north along Reservation Road. The tornado was rated as a violent EF-3 that at peak produced an estimated 140 mph wind in the Sarasota Colony neighborhood of Glades County. In total, 54 structures were damaged, with 27 uninhabitable and considered destroyed. There were three people injured and no fatalities. Damage dollar amount is estimated.

A tornado was reported when a cell began displaying super-cellular characteristics as it exited Broward County near US Highway 27. A storm chaser reported the tornado just north of US Highway 98 and remained on the ground in excess of ten minutes before it moved out of their sight. A tornadic debris signature was noted as it moved north of State Road 700 and was visible up to the Palm Beach/Martin County line. Maximum wind speed and EF rating are unknown with path width estimated from observations.

Moderate to major coastal flooding occurred along most of the Collier County coast, mainly on October 9th from late morning through the overnight. The NWS Storm Survey team determined that inundation above ground was in the two to four foot range across much of the beach and bayfront locations across Collier County, with a maximum estimated inundation of near six feet in Chokoloskee. During the survey, there were several buildings investigated in Everglades, Chokoloskee, Goodland, and Naples that were had been inundated by up to approximately three feet of water. A maximum storm tide of 5.08 ft above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) was measured by the NOS gauge at Naples Bay at 8:30 PM on October 9th. Total damages are unknown due to only flooding.

A tornado, with visible debris, was reported by a storm chaser watching it move north as it crossed Southern Boulevard in western Palm Beach County. The Miami WSR-88D radar picked up a couple different tornado debris signatures with this supercell before it crossed into Martin County and moved east of Indiantown. Maximum wind speed and EF rating are unknown with path width estimated from observations.

A tornado originated in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, where there was an observed radar-based circulation and a video of a tornado captured in this area from western Delray Beach. The tornado moved north-northeast, eventually affecting several western Palm Beach County communities. A National Weather Service survey identified the southernmost surveyed point in the Rustic Ranches section of Wellington where a double-wide mobile home on Deer Path Lane was left practically unrecognizable, rated as an EF-3 at this location with 7 injuries reported. The tornado tracked north-northeast over the far western portion of Wellington, across the Lakefield West, Meadowwood, and Binks Forest communities, where EF-1 and EF-2 damage was noted to homes and trees. The tornado crossed Southern Boulevard/US Highway 98, then continued north-northeast across Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage where EF-1 to isolated EF-2 damage was observed to homes, trees, and outbuildings. The tornado intensified as it approached Northlake Boulevard on the north end of The Acreage, then did its most considerable damage in the Avenir community of Palm Beach Gardens. At the beginning of this community, a large portion of the roof collapsed of a Publix supermarket building which was recently completed and set to open in the near future, and rated EF-3. Considerable structural damage rated EF-2 and EF-3, including heavy roof damage, impact-resistant windows which were shattered and blown in, and vehicles lifted and moved at least 100 yards were observed. The tornado then moved just west but very close to North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, where a wind gust of 92 mph from the south-southwest was measured at the AWOS around 4:10 PM EST. The tornado crossed Bee Line Highway/SR 710 where tree damage was observed, then entered Jupiter Farms where EF-1 to EF-2 damage was noted to trees, outbuildings, and power poles. Footage from a Florida Turnpike highway camera showed the tornado moving north past Jupiter Farms to the Martin County line, where it continued north for a short distance. The tornado was rated a EF-3 with a path width of 200-300 yards for much of the track, with only a few places where the circulation may have briefly lifted. There were 15 structures destroyed, and 321 with minor to major damage with a total of $81.35 million in damage.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across Glades County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred late October 9th into early October 10th. The highest wind gust of 59 mph was recorded at the WeatherSTEM FSWN site at the Glades County EOC in Moore Haven on October 10th at 12:20 AM. There was moderate to major wind damage, but mostly substantial structural and tree damage associated with tornadoes which impacted central and eastern portions of the county. Approximately 1,700 customers lost power countywide.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across Hendry County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred late October 9th into early October 10th. The highest wind gust of 72 mph was recorded at the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) station at Airglades Airport on October 10th at 1:15 AM. There was minor to moderate wind damage, but mostly substantial structural and tree damage associated with tornadoes which impacted central and eastern portions of the county. Approximately 5,900 customers lost power countywide.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 25 to 30 mph range, with gusts reaching 40 mph, across Mainland Monroe County. Wind damage was minimal, mainly to trees due to passing tornadoes across the area.

Storm surge flooding was observed at the Flamingo Campground of Everglades National Park late on October 9th and early on October 10th. There was minor damage due to water entering structures at the visitor center. A maximum storm tide of 3.09 ft above NAVD88 was measured by the USGS gauge at East Side Creek near Lake Ingraham at 9:30 PM on October 9th.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 25 to 30 mph range, with gusts reaching 40 mph, across far south Miami-Dade County. Wind damage was minimal.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across inland Palm Beach County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred late October 9th into early October 10th. The highest wind gust of 68 mph was recorded in Wellington at 1:00 AM on October 10th. There was moderate to major wind damage, mainly due to tornadoes across parts of the area.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 25 to 30 mph range, with gusts reaching 40 mph, across inland Miami-Dade County. Wind damage was minimal, mainly to trees.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 25 to 30 mph range, with gusts reaching 40 mph, across inland Broward County. Wind damage was minimal, mainly to trees due to weak passing tornadoes across the area.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 30 to 35 mph range. Brief wind gusts of tropical storm force occurred. The highest wind gust of 52 mph was recorded at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at 1:20 AM on October 10th. There was minor wind damage, mainly to trees, across parts of the area.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 40 mph range across metro Palm Beach County. The strongest winds of tropical storm force occurred late October 9th into early October 10th. The highest sustained wind was 39 mph at Palm Beach International Airport at 153 AM on October 10th with a peak wind gust of 73 mph at the same location at 404 AM on October 10th. was recorded in Wellington at 1:00 AM on October 10th. Wind damage was relatively minor and confined to trees.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across coastal Palm Beach County. The highest sustained wind was 46 mph along the beach in Delray Beach at the WeatherSTEM site Delray Beach North at 520 PM on October 9th, with a peak wind gust of 56 mph at the WeatherSTEM site at the Town of Palm Beach at 1:10 AM on October 10th.|Wind damage was relatively minor and confined to trees.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 45 mph range across coastal Broward County. The highest sustained wind was 43 mph along the barrier island in Dania Beach at 657 PM on October 9th, with a peak wind gust of 52 mph at the WeatherSTEM site at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at 7:40 PM on October 9th.|Wind damage was relatively minor and confined to trees. Fewer than 4,000 customers lost power countywide.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 35 to 40 mph range across coastal Miami-Dade County. The highest sustained wind was 40 mph at Turkey Point at 418 PM on October 9th, with a peak wind gust of 60 mph at the WeatherSTEM site at University of Miami Rosenstiel School in Virginia Key at 650 PM on October 9th. Wind damage was relatively minor and confined to trees. Fewer than 4,000 customers lost power countywide.

Maximum sustained winds were in the 30 to 35 mph range. Brief wind gusts of tropical storm force occurred. The highest wind gust of 53 mph was recorded at Miami-Tamiami Executive Airport at 5:07 PM on October 9th. There was minor wind damage, mainly to trees, across parts of the area.